Italian No Bake Cake

This yummy Italian No Bake Cake is so simple! Vanilla wafers, crushed pineapple, coconut, and a creamy filling – topped with maraschino cherries – this is an easy dessert in a pinch!

Like a lot of desserts that make their way down the grapevine, I think this Italian No Bake Cake received it’s name just from evolving as a no bake version of Italian Cream Cake. With the vanilla wafers, crushed pineapple, sweetened condensed milk, Cool Whip, coconut, and cherries – I really am not sure what makes this dessert “Italian” in nature!

Honestly though, one bite of this delicious cake, and I could care less what it’s called. It’s THAT good!

If you’re planning on making this cake, there’s a couple of things to keep in mind. Even though it’s no bake, meaning no part of the preparation process involves cooking in any way, you definitely want to give it a few hours in the refrigerator. This will give the vanilla wafers time to soak up the cream filling and soften them to form a sponge-like crust at the bottom of the cake – my favorite part!

The second thing to keep in mind with this cake is to be prepared to give out the recipe if you take it to a gathering! My husband was even asking me what the ingredients were because he was so curious.

Don’t skip the fresh lemon juice, either! In the words of my 6 year old Wesley, upon taking his first bite: “The lemon flavor just exploded in my mouth!” Best recipe critic, ever.

Italian No Bake Cake

This yummy Italian No Bake Cake is so simple! Vanilla wafers, crushed pineapple, coconut, and a creamy filling - topped with maraschino cherries - this is an easy dessert in a pinch!

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Italian no bake cake

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 410kcal

Author: Kelly Miller

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 oz vanilla wafers divided
• ▢ 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ juice of 1 lemon
• ▢ 20 oz crushed pineapple drained
• ▢ 8 oz Cool Whip thawed according to package directions
• ▢ 1 cup coconut
• ▢ 24 oz maraschino cherries drained and patted dry

Instructions

• Place vanilla wafers in a single layer in the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish, approx 45 wafers will cover the bottom. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Stir in drained crushed pineapple.
• Pour mixture evenly over vanilla wafers and spread carefully to cover evenly. Top evenly with remaining vanilla wafers.
• Drop dollops of Cool Whip over cake and carefully spread out evenly to cover the top of the cake. Sprinkle coconut over Cool Whip. Place cherries on top of coconut.
• Cover cake and refrigerate overnight, or at least 3 hours before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 5.5mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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This Italian No Bake Cake will be in my regular dessert rotation for our family – I really love making special treats for us to enjoy through the week. It makes mundane weeks so fun!